The Neophyte_a play in three acts
Page 10
STONE
I don’t think believed is exactly the right word.
ADAM
Father?
STONE
I think he knew.
ADAM
Thank you, Father Stone. No more questions.
ADAM walks slowly to his table and sits. ALDINE pops up and crosses to STONE.
ALDINE
Father Stone, do you have a degree in theology?
STONE
Yes, I do.
ALDINE
Now, we’ve heard a lot of testimony in this case that people have done things at the will of God. From Biblical times, up to recent cases of cult members committing murder and suicide at the behest of their so-called spiritual leaders who claimed to speak for God.
STONE
Although not necessarily for my God.
ALDINE
Yes, that’s true. But, Father Stone, in all of those cases, there seems to be an interesting common element. All of those people were somehow punished for their crimes against society, weren’t they? That was part of the trial God set for them, or so they claimed. Why should Oscar Telford be let off the hook before he has finished his test?
STONE
I don’t propose to know the will of God, Ms. Cage.
ALDINE
But the jury has to make a decision, Father Stone. If God had wanted to save Oscar this ordeal, he could have whisked him off to Argentina or made sure we never even found him. People transgress against God all the time, Father Stone. Though I like to consider myself basically a good person, I myself have sinned on occasion. What’s so special about this young man that God got involved in the first place, and if God is so interested in this case, where is He now?
STONE
I’m afraid I don’t know.
ALDINE
So, given that His particular whereabouts are, for the moment, unknown, isn’t it our responsibility to act as His agents? To judge the guilty?
STONE
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself.
ALDINE
Yes, ‘judge not lest ye be judged’. We’ve all read the—
STONE
Pardon me, Ms. Cage, but that is not what that particular passage means. Christ warns us that in judging others, we open ourselves to their judgments against us in return. This is fairly obvious social advice, actually. But God tells us that He is the only judge. And if we attempt to usurp His role…it’s not that we will be subjected to judgment, but that we are already doomed.
ALDINE
But we have to judge, don’t we, Father? If someone stole from you, wouldn’t it be your responsibility to judge him? To uphold the law God has made against theft?
STONE
Ms. Cage, if someone stole from me, I would be angry. I might even seek restitution for the value stolen. I may even seek to have the thief punished. Like you are seeking to have Oscar punished. But I would not judge the reasons for the actions. A man may steal to feed his family, and therefore that action that God has forbidden was committed out of love.
OSCAR gets excited and starts paying attention.
ALDINE
The purpose of this trial isn’t to determine how God will judge the accused, Father—
STONE
This trial is an abomination before God. You are not here to enact God’s justice. Only God can dole out justice. You are here to punish this young man because he made you afraid. He made this entire town question itself. And to that end, you are here not to judge his actions. He has confessed his sin. You are here to judge the man himself. This ridiculous farce of a trial goes on because you, all of you, cannot accept that there are things outside your understanding. So you want to define this man. Label him crazy or evil. I will not climb to your great heights of arrogance. You called me as an expert. But you’ve made a mistake. I’m not expert in judgment, and I will not join you in trying to destroy the mystery of this man.
ALDINE
Father, I know we are all emotional, but just one more—
STONE
I’m finished.
STONE gets down from the stand and walks out. ALDINE moves as if to prevent him, but gives up and lets him go.
ALDINE
(meekly)
You can step down now, Father.
Black out.
Scene Seven
The courtroom. A repeat of Scene One, as they pantomime getting ready for court. This time, the pantomime continues through the beginning of the session: ADAM stands and calls OSCAR. OSCAR limps to the stand, his feet still shackled. He puts his hand on the Bible, which sits on the stand, and his lips move in an exaggerated way as he says the oath. FATHER STONE stands in a different area of the stage, praying ecstatically.
STONE
…in your name we pray…we ask forgiveness…we ask for grace…we give alms…we give prayer…skin for skin, we give our lives…work in your mysterious ways, oh Lord…we will kneel before you…we will worship you, singing unto heaven…dancing in the fields…speaking the words from the books you have written…raising our hands up to you in supplication and love…Oh, Lord, hear my prayer…let me walk the way with you…open the gates that stand in my way…harken to me, one who follows after righteousness…give me happiness…give me comfort…keep me safe…bring your divine order to bare on the chaos of my life…be not silent to me, Oh Lord, come into my life and let my spirit soar high and free…but put forth thy hand now and touch my bone and flesh, and I will curse thee to thy face…
OSCAR
…so help me God.
ADAM goes to the witness stand.
ADAM
Alright, Oscar. Do you understand why you are here?
OSCAR
I killed Daniel Leyland.
ADAM
Yes. That’s correct. But you’re also here to tell your side, okay? You are entitled to that. Understand?
OSCAR
Yes.
ADAM
Okay. Your interviews with our local law enforcement officers have been entered as defense exhibits and we’ve heard from the Sheriff already, but I’d like to ask you a few routine questions anyway, okay, Oscar?
OSCAR
Okay.
ADAM
Is your real name Oscar Telford?
OSCAR
Yes. As far as I know.
ADAM
Have you always believed in God?
OSCAR
No. Never. I had heard of Him, but the whole thing seemed illogical to me.
ADAM
Then what led you to believe that the voice you heard was that of the Lord?
OSCAR
He said so.
ADAM
What did the voice sound like?
OSCAR
What do you think it sounded like?
ADAM
It doesn’t matter what I think. I didn’t hear Him.
OSCAR
You sure didn’t.
ADAM
Okay, Oscar. So, according to Dr. Hudson, you might be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the departure of your parents. What happened to your family?
OSCAR
I don’t know.
ADAM
What did the voice tell you to do?
OSCAR
It’s a long story.
ADAM
This is your chance to tell it. Did you kill Daniel because of the voice?
OSCAR
Yes.
ADAM
And what did the voice say would happen to you if you didn’t do it?
OSCAR
This is stupid. Father Stone is right.
ADAM whispers to OSCAR.
ADAM
Oscar, we’re not trying to hurt you. We’re trying to help. I’m trying to do that. Help me do that, okay?
OSCAR
Why? So you can win the case and be famous? You think being a great lawyer is so important. But
you don’t really care. You can’t help me.
ADAM
Oscar, when did you first start to hear the voice?
OSCAR ignores him.
ADAM
Oscar? Come on, Oscar.
ADAM looks helplessly at GRAINE, who stands.
GRAINE
If it’s alright, Your Honor, I’ll be questioning this witness.
ALDINE stands but then sits without speaking. GRAINE and ADAM conference for a moment, then ADAM sits and GRAINE approaches the stand.
OSCAR
Hi Graine.
GRAINE
Mr. Telford, you claim to have heard the voice of God. Why should the court believe you?
OSCAR
Because it’s true.
GRAINE
But lots of things that are true are hard to believe. You didn’t believe at first, did you?
OSCAR
No.
GRAINE
What changed your mind?
OSCAR
I researched. I read the Bible, and other stuff about people who believe in God. Unless they are all crazy, too, then I figured I couldn’t be. But I still didn’t really want to believe it. Then there was a moment…I just knew. I guess it’s what people call faith.
GRAINE
Tell me about that moment. What were you doing? Praying?
OSCAR
No. I was just sitting by the train tracks. It was sunset, and I was watching the trains go by.
GRAINE
Tell the court what you heard, please.
OSCAR
The train. It sounded like an animal, breathing heavy as it labored across the tracks. The sky was purple and orange. The grass was bright green. I could smell the grass. I could feel it on my legs when the wind blew.
GRAINE
What did you do?
OSCAR
I lay down on the grass. Looked up at the sky. I could see the moon just rising. I thought I could actually see it move, in exact time with the sun and the earth. The train was making the ground vibrate, and I felt the motion against my back. The crickets were just starting up, their high-pitched squeak in harmony with the low rumble of the train. I spread out my arms and legs and just felt the motion of the world. Gravity holding on to me. Then I heard it. Not really a voice. More like a feeling. Like the way you know your arms and legs are attached to your body. It was…kinesthetic. This is me. That’s what it said. And this moment is perfect. It’s my gift to you.
GRAINE
What did you think the voice meant by that?
OSCAR is getting agitated.
OSCAR
Perfect! Like the moon. And it said we wasted time trying to make it all make sense. So many perfect moments and they get wasted because we are stupid.
GRAINE
Stupid? Not evil?
OSCAR
No. It never said we are evil or sinful. Just that we are stupid. That he gives us this gift and we waste it. We can’t see or hear it because we’re too busy trying to figure out the rules. To obey the commandments. To look for answers in places they will never be. To impose order on a world of random beauty.
GRAINE
How could you be sure this voice was coming from God?
OSCAR
I can’t tell you. I mean, I can, but you still won’t understand. I can tell you how to make a cherry pie, but you won’t know what it really is until you taste it.
GRAINE
I’ve had cherry pie, Oscar. Sane people don’t hear God.
OSCAR
They try! Father Stone tries. He tries to hear the words of God in some old book. He’s almost blind from reading that book over and over and hoping that somewhere, if he stares hard enough, God will appear on the page. That buffoon of a Reverend tries. He thinks if he shouts loud enough and long enough, God will speak to him. To shut him up, if nothing else. Adam tries. Tries to be a good man, be good to his family, a good lawyer. Do the right thing. God will come. Thrinh, you’ve got the best strategy of all. No rules. Everything’s relative. Anything’s possible, so somewhere out there between the odds, there must be God. Your father tried, Graine. All his life. He even welcomed death so that he would finally hear the voice of God at last. You all try to hear him, even if you don’t realize it. But I did it! He spoke to me! I didn’t want it. I didn’t ask for it. But there he is. I just looked up at the sky and heard him. And you, Graine, you can hear him too. Because this is what you do. This—the law, the courtroom—it’s what you are. Take a deep breath. Smell the polished wood, the mix of people smells. The light through the tall windows. The black of the judge’s robe. Sound of papers being shuffled. Murmurs from the gallery. The space of the high ceiling above you. Breeze from the slowly-turning ceiling fans. Your heart beating fast as you step up to the witness stand. It’s perfect. This is your perfect moment. Can you hear him?
GRAINE
Step down, Oscar. Get down.
Scene Eight
The courtroom. The stage is set up as before, except that HUDSON is gone and REVERND LEE stands in the witness box. ADAM questions him.
LEE
I am NOT a person who takes my relationship with God LIGHTLY, sir.
ADAM
Of course not, Reverend. Do you take the words of the Bible literally? Do you believe they are the authentic words of God?
LEE
Of course they are.
ADAM
So, the Bible is true? All of it? It’s not just a metaphorical story?
LEE
That is right. God gave us this document to help us know right from wrong. And that BOY should take a look at it.
ADAM
Well, I’ve looked at it, Reverend. And I’ve got to tell you, it’s not exactly a bedtime story for children.
LEE
Children should read the Bible as soon as they are able.
ADAM
I’m not arguing that children shouldn’t be taught religion. I’m just saying that I don’t let my kids go see Steven Segal movies because somebody’s always getting killed or mutilated. Would you advise your parishioners to take their kids to that stuff?
LEE
Most certainly NOT. In addition to being morally reprehensible, is it also simply devoid of any redeeming artistic value.
ADAM
Right. But the Bible is full of violence, too. Animals being sacrificed, women raped, cities destroyed, wars.
LEE
In the OLD Testament, perhaps—
ADAM
So, it’s just the Jews who got the wrath of God stuff?
LEE
Well. You said it, not me.
ADAM
But in the New Testament, doesn’t Jesus himself say, “I do not come with the olive branch, but I come with the sword”?
LEE
Yes, he does. He does say that. But that is meant for our enemies.
ADAM
So, God only exhibits violence toward his enemies?
LEE
Yes. Those who bring evil among the righteous.
ADAM
And he does, doesn’t he? God, I mean. He destroys Sodom.
LEE
He most certainly does.
ADAM
Did you witness this occurrence first-hand, Reverend Lee?
LEE
Don’t be ridiculous.
ADAM
So, how do you know about it?
LEE
It’s in the Bible, son.
ADAM
And how did it get there? I mean, someone wrote it, right?
LEE
Yes. Men wrote it down, but it was inspired by God.
ADAM
And these men who wrote it, did they get a certified letter from God or what?
LEE
No! They were inspired! As I said.
ADAM
Would you say God was speaking to them?
LEE
I suppose it would not be unreasonable to phrase it that way. But this situation is completely d
ifferent!
ADAM
How so?
LEE
This boy killed a child!
ADAM grabs a Bible from his table and flips it open to a page he’s marked.
ADAM
May I, Your Honor? Thank you. (reading): “And God said, take now thy son, thine only son Issac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains.” Is God telling Abraham to kill his own child here, Reverend?
LEE
Well…yes. But God spares Issac and orders Abraham to sacrifice a lamb in his place.
ADAM
But Abraham didn’t know that was going to happen. He was prepared to sacrifice his own son at the command of God. Wasn’t he, Reverend?
LEE